By Desire Emmanuel
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday, March 17, confirmed that the bomb blasts that occurred at three places in Maiduguri, Borno State, were carried out by Boko Haram suicide bombers.
It also said they deliberately targeted crowded public places to carry out the destruction.
Twenty three persons lost their lives while 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday night when three bomb blasts rocked the popular Monday market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and near a post office in Maiduguri around 7:30 p.m., according to the state police command.
The Nigerian Army, in a statement on the blasts, said the suicide bombers targeted crowded public areas in an attempt to inflict mass casualties and create panic within the metropolis.
The Army wrote: “The explosions were carried out by suspected Boko Haram terrorist suicide bombers who detonated improvised explosive devices at three different locations within the city. The cowardly attacks targeted crowded public areas in an attempt by the terrorists to inflict mass casualties and create panic within the metropolis.
“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team and other security agencies, responded swiftly to the incident and immediately secured and cordoned off the affected locations to prevent further harm. “Emergency response teams, including personnel from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other medical service providers, promptly evacuated casualties to the General Hospital, Specialist Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for urgent medical attention.
“Medical teams are currently attending to injured victims at various health facilities across the city, while emergency responders continue rescue and evacuation efforts at the affected locations.
“Preliminary information further indicates that the terrorists may have deployed multiple suicide bombers into Maiduguri with the intention of carrying out coordinated suicide bombings at crowded locations. Security forces have therefore intensified surveillance, patrols and counter-IED measures across the metropolis to track down any remaining suspects and prevent further attacks.”
